Electronic mail pop-up control system

ABSTRACT

An electronic mail pop-up control system in a dealing system for lightening a burden on a dealer handling a large amount of information at the same time by reducing the number of operations to be done on a dealing talk terminal, said control system lightening a burden on a dealer by displaying an electronic mail which is one of means for exchanging information between talking terminals  1  on a display  1-26  of a called side talking terminal  1  without any operation performed by a dealer at the called side.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to improvement of a dealing system usedwhen a bank or a securities company performs a financial transaction ofexchange, securities and the like.

BACKGROUND TECHNOLOGY

Up to now, an electronic mail system for transferring a simple messagebetween such talking terminals as dealing boards and the like which areconnected with a line control unit transfers a message inputted from akeyboard of a calling side talking terminal to a called side talkingterminal, blinks a message lamp of the called side talking terminal, andthereby notifies a dealer who is the called party that a message comesin, and then displays the message in an electronic mail display windowon a display device only when this called party operates a message key.

In a conventional system as described above, however, if a called partydoes not operate a message key, a message cannot be displayed on adisplay device, and it is conceivable that the called party suffers lossof an opportunity due to a fact that the called party has overlookedblinking of a message lamp or has operated the message key too late.

The present invention has been performed in order to solve such anexisting problem, and an object of the invention is to provide anelectronic mail pop-up control system capable of automaticallydisplaying a message on a display of a called side talking terminal evenwithout performing any operation on the called side talking terminal.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

In order to attain the above-mentioned object, an electronic mail pop-upcontrol system according to claim 1 of the present invention ischaracterized by a fact that said system has a plurality of talkingterminals and a line control unit being communication-connected withthese talking terminals, wherein each of said talking terminals has amessage input means for inputting a message and a display means fordisplaying a message, a first talking terminal out of these plurality oftalking terminals transfers a message inputted by the message inputmeans of the first talking terminal to a second talking terminal, andwhen the second talking terminal out of these plurality of talkingterminals receives the message from the first talking terminal, thesecond talking terminal automatically pops up and displays an electronicmail display window at the forefront of a display screen on a displaymeans of the second talking terminal and displays the messagetransferred from said first talking terminal in this electronic maildisplay window.

Said talking terminal corresponds to a dealing board used in a financialtransaction, for example.

Said first talking terminal corresponds to a calling side talkingterminal and said second talking terminal corresponds to a called sidetalking terminal, and the first and second talking terminals are made soas to have the same internal composition as each other. Additionally,said plurality of talking terminals means two or more talking terminals.

Said line control unit is composed of such a switching system as aspeech path switch and the like for communication-connecting a pluralityof talking terminals to each other and communication-connecting thesetalking terminals and a public network with each other, for example.

Said message input means corresponds to a keyboard, a mouse or the likefor inputting the content of a message of an electronic mail, forexample.

Said display means corresponds to a display device which is providedwith a pagination function for displaying the name of an accommodatedcircuit and a message content for example and additionally is providedwith a pop-up function for displaying an electronic mail display windowat the forefront of its display screen.

Said electronic mail display window is a window for automaticallydisplaying a message transferred from the first talking terminal, forexample.

According to an electronic mail pop-up control system as defined inclaim 1 of the present invention, therefore, when a second talkingterminal receives a message from a first talking terminal, the secondtalking terminal pops up and displays an electronic mail display windowat the forefront of a display screen on a display means of the secondtalking terminal and displays the message from the first talkingterminal in this electronic mail display window, and therefore it ispossible to completely prevent that a called party suffers loss of anopportunity due to a fact that the called party has overlooked a messagefrom the first talking terminal or has performed a message key operationtoo late, and remarkably reduce a burden on a dealer who is the calledparty performing a transaction fighting the clock.

And an electronic mail pop-up control system according to claim 2 of thepresent invention is characterized by a fact, in addition to thecomposition as defined in said claim 1, that said talking terminalcomprises a storage means for storing a plurality of definite-form replymessages in it and a selecting means for selecting a definite-form replymessage stored in this storage means and an optional definite-form replymessage out of definite-form reply messages stored in this storagemeans, and said second talking terminal displays a message from thefirst talking terminal in an electronic mail display window and then,when an optional definite-form reply message is selected by saidselecting means, automatically transfers this optional definite-formreply message to the first talking terminal.

Said storage means stores a plurality of definite-form reply messages.

Said selecting means is a means for selecting an optional definite-formreply message from definite-form reply messages stored in said storagemeans, for example, a means corresponding to a mouse, a keyboard or thelike for selecting an optional definite-form reply message on a screenfrom a plurality of definite-form reply messages displayed on thedisplay screen of a display device.

According to an electronic mail pop-up control system as defined inclaim 2 of the present invention, therefore, since each of talkingterminals stores several kinds of definite-form reply messages in it, inaddition to the effect described in said claim 1, the called party whois a user of the second talking terminal can save a trouble of inputtingvarious messages by selecting an optional definite-form reply message bymeans of the selecting means, and thanks to this it is possible toremarkably reduce a burden on a dealer who is a called party.

And an electronic mail pop-up control system according to claim 3 of thepresent invention characterized by a fact, in addition to thecomposition as defined in said claim 2, that when the first talkingterminal receives a definite-form reply message from said second talkingterminal, the first talking terminal automatically pops up and displaysan electronic mail display window at the forefront of a display screenof a display means of the first talking terminal and displays thedefinite-form reply message transferred from said second talkingterminal in this electronic mail display window.

According to an electronic mail pop-up control system as defined inclaim 3 of the present invention, therefore, since it automatically popsup and displays an electronic mail display window at the forefront of adisplay screen of the display means of the first talking terminal anddisplays a definite-form reply message transferred from said secondtalking terminal in this electronic mail display window, the caller whois a user of the calling side talking terminal can also read thedefinite-form reply message without performing a key operation, and itis possible to reduce a burden on the dealer who is a caller originatingthe message.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram roughly showing the composition of a dealingsystem showing an embodiment of an electronic mail pop-up control systemof the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram roughly showing an internal composition of atalking terminal in a dealing system shown in this embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory figure showing a display screen of a display ofa talking terminal in a state of using no electronic mail.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory figure showing a display screen of a display ofa talking terminal in a state of transmitting an electronic mail.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory figure showing a display screen of a display ofa talking terminal in a state of receiving an electronic mail.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory figure showing a display screen of a display ofa talking terminal in a state of receiving a reply electronic mail.

FIG. 7 is a sequence chart showing operations among a calling sidetalking terminal, a line control unit and a called side talking terminalwhich take part in an electronic mail pop-up control.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a processing operation of an informationprocessing unit of a talking terminal, particularly, a processingoperation of an MPU in a key analyzing process following transmission orreception of an electronic mail.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a processing operation of an informationprocessing unit of a talking terminal, particularly, a processingoperation of an MPU in a received information analyzing processfollowing a pop-up display operation of an electronic mail.

BEST EMBODIMENT FOR IMPLEMENTING THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is an example of a block diagram roughly showing the compositionof a dealing system showing an embodiment of the present invention.

Number 1 is a talking terminal (DB) called a dealing board and is anapparatus being most closely related to the present invention, andseveral tens to several hundreds of such talking terminals 1 areaccommodated in a single dealing system.

Number 2 is a line control unit (LCU), which plays a role of a switchingsystem in a dealing system. In this case it is assumed that atime-division switching system is adopted. Number 3 is a line circuit(LIN) for connecting an ordinary extension telephone to the line controlunit 2. Number 4 is a 4-wire monitor line circuit (MONL) dedicated to anopen voice system which outputs information from a speaker at ordinarytimes. Number 5 is a digital talking terminal line circuit (DBDLIN) forconnecting a talking terminal (DB) 1 and the line control unit (LCU) 2to each other.

Number 6 is a central office line trunk (PRI) for connecting the LCU 2to a high-speed digital office line such as a primary digital stage rateline of ISDN. Number 7 is a central office trunk (COT) for connectingthe LCU 2 to an ordinary analog office line. Number 8 is a private linetrunk for a private line being used as a hot line. Number 9 is a trunkused for a 4-wire open voice line (MONT) and is connected to a privateline.

Number 10 is a central processing equipment (CPE) of the line controlunit (LCU) 2 for performing a switching connection by controlling atime-division switch (TSW) described in the following. Number 11 is atime-division switch (TSW) for interconnecting various line circuits andtrunk circuits.

Number 12 is an open voice system already described, which is composedof an n number of monitor speakers (SPK1 to SPKn), and a microphone fortransmission, and they are, respectively, connected to an open voice box(OVBOX) and a transmission switching box (CHBOX), and the transmissionswitching box (CHBOX) is connected to the open voice box (OVBOX). Andthe open voice box (OVBOX) is connected to a talking terminal (DB) 1needed according to work.

Number 13 is called a digital field in which a user's database, a hostcomputer and data from such news media as Reuter, Telerate and the likeare linked with a local area network (LAN), and is an information sourcefor talking terminals (DB) 1.

Number 14 is a local area network (LAN) for connecting variousinformation sources in said digital field to talking terminals (DB) 1and this embodiment uses an Ethernet.

In FIG. 1, a talking terminal (DB) 1 has connecting paths to the linecontrol unit (LCU) 2 and to the local area network (LAN) 14.

Each talking terminal (DB) 1 is connected through a digital talkingterminal line circuit (DBDLIN) 5 to the line control unit (LCU) 2, andcan be connected, by dialing or pressing a line connection key, toanother talking terminal (DB) 1, an ordinary extension (ETX), ahigh-speed office line, an analog office line, a hot line and the like.

And each talking terminal (DB) 1 can access the digital field 13 throughthe LAN 14, download necessary data, and input contract data into a hostcomputer.

Since a talking terminal (DB) 1 is a dealing board used when a dealer ofa bank or a securities company performs a financial transaction ofexchange, securities and the like, it needs to be able to quicklycollect information related to transactions and perform a speedy contactwith an interested party.

Therefore, in case that some information has come into a talkingterminal (DB) 1, for example, a talking terminal (DB(A)) 1 from anotherinformation source when the talking terminal (DB(A)) 1 is talking, if atalking terminal (DB(B)) is free, it is necessary that a dealer of thetalking terminal (DB(B)) 1 responds instead and notifies at once adealer of the talking terminal (DB(A)) 1 of the matter of business.

For such an object, an electronic mail has been used up to now, but asdescribed in the section of Background Technology, when incoming of anelectronic mail is indicated in the talking terminal (DB(A)) 1, unlessthe dealer of the talking terminal (DB(A)) 1 knows the incomingindication and performs a response operation, the message has not beendisplayed, and therefore the dealer has sometimes overlooked theincoming indication or responded to it too late.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram roughly showing an internal composition of atalking terminal (DB) 1.

The talking terminal (DB) 1 shown in FIG. 2 is composed of a line trunkcontroller (LTCNT) 1-1 and an information processing unit (PCCPU) 1-2having a personal computer function or a workstation function.

These are controlled respectively by microprocessor units (MPU) 1-01 and1-20, the former is a slave MPU and the latter is a master MPU inrelation to control.

In FIG. 2, number 1-01 is a microprocessor unit (MPU) for controllingthe line trunk controller (LTCNT) 1-1, number 1-02 is a random accessmemory (RAM for storing an online program and for work, 1-03 is aread-only memory (IPLROM) for having an initial program (IPL) loaded,and 1-04 is a clock generator (CLK).

Number 1-05 is a serial communication receiver/transmitter (USART0) forreceiving and converting serial data of 19.2 Kbps from an RA-LSIperforming a communication rate adoption described later to paralleldata and connecting them to a bus 1-17 described later, and 1-06 is aserial communication receiver/transmitter (USART1) for converting serialdata of 16 Kbps from a D channel in an ISDN circuit to parallel data andconnecting them to the bus 1-17, and 1-07 is a communication rateadoption LSI (RA-LSI) for adapting a data transfer rate.

Number 1-08 is a device for converting transfer rates of 64 Kbps and 2Mbps to each other, and 1-09 is a data transmission LSI (P-PLSI) forseparating serial data of (2B+D) from a talking terminal line circuit 5into channels B1, B2 and D, connecting the channels B1 and B2 to a CODEC1-10 described next and connecting the channel D to the serialcommunication receiver/transmitter (USART1) 1-06 described already.

Number 1-10 is a CODEC, which is a device which converts a serialdigital voice of 64 Kbps from the P-PLSI to an analog voice andinversely converts them.

Number 1-11 is a speech path control unit (SPCHU) and plays a role ofcontrolling connection of analog voices from two CODECs 1-10 to two leftand right handsets or a hand-free speaker and a hand-free microphone.

Number 1-12 is a touch panel controller (TOUCHC), 1-13 is a keyboardcontroller (KBC) and 1-14 is a controller (LEDC) for controlling to turnon light emitting diodes LEDs.

Number 1-15 is a dual port RAM (DPRAM) which is a shared memory capableof being accessed by the two MPU, and is used in transferring databetween the microprocessor (MPU) 1-20 in the information processing unit(PCCPU) 1-2 and the microprocessor (MPU) 1-01 in the line trunkcontroller (LTCNT) 1-1, and 1-16 is an interface (PCI/F) between thedual port RAM (DPRAM) 1-15 and an ISA bus of the information processingunit (PCCPU) 1-2.

Number 1-17 is a bus of the line trunk controller (LTCNT) 1-1. Number1-18 is an ISA bus and is used as a bus for connecting themicroprocessor unit (MPU) 1-20 in the information processing unit(PCCPU) 1-2 and the microprocessor unit (MPU) 1-01 in the line trunkcontroller (LTCNT) 1-1. Number 1-19 is a LAN interface, which isconnected to the LAN 14.

Number 1-20 is the microprocessor unit (MPU) of the informationprocessing unit (PCCPU) 1-2, number 1-21 is a main memory, 1-22 is acache memory (CACHE), and 1-23 is a clock generator (CLK).

Number 1-24 is a VGA interface (VGAI/F) for controlling a displaydevice, and has a video RAM (VRAM) 1-25 and a display device 1-26connected with it.

Number 1-27 is a keyboard interface (keyboard I/F) for connecting a fullkeyboard 1-28.

Number 1-29 is a peripheral chip for controlling peripheral devices, andcontrols a general-purpose serial port capable of connecting a mouse, aprinter 1-31, a hard disk drive (HDD) 1-32, a floppy disk drive (FDD)1-34 and the like.

The general-purpose serial I/O port has the mouse 1-30 connected whichis a pointing device for pointing an optional position on a display, anda printer 1-31 can be optionally connected.

Number 1-32 is a hard disk drive (HDD) for driving and controlling ahard disk (HD) 1-33, and number 1-34 is a floppy disk drive for drivingand controlling a floppy disk (FD) 1-35. Number 1-36 is a bus of theinformation processing unit 1-2.

FIG. 3 is an example of a dealing screen displayed on the display device1-26 and is a line display screen, in which a key block KB-1 enclosed bya long and short dash line represents a line lamp and key (hereinafterreferred to as a key) block for registering various lines or automaticdialing, and is controlled by software. This line display screen haspersons' names displayed in it.

This line key block has a pagination function comprising a plurality ofpages and is devised so as to be able to cope with increase of thenumber of lines accessed by a talking terminal (DB) 1.

Seven keys of a key block KB-2 are other-page-incoming indication keyscapable of displaying incoming of some information to a line registeredat a page other than the page being currently displayed or selecting anddisplaying incoming of some information to some lines out of lines notregistered at any pages.

A key block KB-3 is a key block of function keys, and various functionscan be optionally set in each talking terminal (DB) 1 according to data.

A key block KB-4 has at its left end a menu key to display an indexscreen for changing over said line display screens of 38 screens toselect a desired line display screen out of them by a one-touchoperation, and comprises direct-changeover keys “STATUS” for directlychanging over line display screens, a title changeover key for changingover said direct-changeover keys themselves in order, and the like.

A message area MA-1 is an information display area, and displays a dialmonitor, a dial number of automatic dialing, data of an opposite party,an opposite party's name and the like, and the example of FIG. 3displays the date and hour, and the number of a talking terminal (DB) 1in an unused state.

The page number and name of the displayed screen are displayed at thebottom of the message area MA-1.

A key K-1 is an “MSG” key for changing over to an electronic mailtransmission screen, and when this key of a talking terminal attemptingto transmit a message, for example, a talking terminal (DB) 1 is clickedby a mouse 1-30 which is a pointing device, a window W-1 of FIG. 4appears.

This window W-1 is an electronic mail transmission screen, and a messagearea MA-2 displays a message inputted from a keyboard 1-28.

A “CLEAR SCREEN” key K-2 in the window W-1 is a key for clearing all thecontent of the message area MA-2, a “CANCEL” key K-3 is a key forcanceling transmission of a message, and a “SELECT NAME” key K4 is a keyfor selecting the opposite party which a message is to be sent to.

FIG. 5 shows an electronic mail reception window W-2 which is displayedwhen a talking terminal at a called side, for example, a talkingterminal (DB(B)) 1 has received a message.

The window W-2 is provided with a message area MA-3 for displaying amessage inputted into the message area MA-2 of FIG. 4 and a key blockKB-5 for function keys dedicated to the electronic mail reception windowW-2.

Ordinarily, the talking terminal (DB(B)) 1 side which has received amessage does not inputs a reply message from the keyboard 1-28, butselects and clicks one of keys in the key block KB-5 by means of themouse 1-30 which is a pointing device.

The talking terminal (DB(B)) 1 side identifies the clicked key, convertsthe key information into a message prepared in advance corresponding tothe key, and returns the message to the talking terminal (DB(A)) 1.

FIG. 6 is a reply electronic mail display window W-3 of the talkingterminal (DB(A)) 1 for displaying the message returned from the talkingterminal (DB(B)) 1, wherein a message area MA-4 is a display area fordisplaying a reply message and a key block KB-5 displays the samefunction keys as the key block KB-5 of FIG. 5.

At this time, in the key block KB-5 of FIG. 6, the lamp of a functionkey clicked in the talking terminal (DB(B)) 1 is also turned on in thetalking terminal (DB(A)) 1 and the reply can be known without readingthe message. FIG. 6 indicates that a function key “AWAY” of the talkingterminal (DB(A)) 1 had been turned on in case that a function key “AWAY”was selected in the talking terminal (DB(B)) 1, and a messagecorresponding to this is displayed in the message area MA-4.

FIG. 7 is a sequence diagram showing operation among a calling sidetalking terminal (DB(A)) 1, a line control unit 2 and a called sidetalking terminal (DB(B)) 1 which take part in an electric mail pop-upcontrol.

First, in the calling side talking terminal (DB(A)) 1, when the “MSG”key is clicked by the mouse of FIG. 3 (S1-1), the electronic mailtransmission screen of FIG. 4 is displayed (S1-2).

Using this screen, a message is inputted into the message area MA-2 ofFIG. 4 from the keyboard 1-28 (S1-3). Following this, the key “SELECTNAME” is clicked by the mouse and a line key “PAUL” is clicked (S1-4).

The microprocessor unit (MPU) 1-20 refers data of the hard disk (HD)1-33 through the hard disk drive (HDD) 1-32 and converts the line key“PAUL” to a telephone number 6900, and sends this number to the linecontrol unit (LCU) 2, using a D channel along a path passing the bus1-36, the ISA bus 1-18, the interface (PCI/F) 1-16 with the ISA bus, thedual port RAM (DPRAM) 1-15, the bus 1-17, the serial communicationreceiver/transmitter (USART1) 1-06, the data transfer LSI (P-PLSI) 1-09and the digital talking terminal line circuit (DBDLIN) 5.

In the line control unit (LCU) 2, the central processing equipment (CPE)10 controls the time-division switch (TSW) 11 to connect to each otherthe line circuit (DBDLIN) 5 of the calling side talking terminal (DB(A))1 and the line circuit (DBDLIN) 5 of the called side talking terminal(DB(B)) 1.

Since a B channel is also connected between the talking terminals bythis, a message and control information from the talking terminal(DB(A)) 1 are sent to the talking terminal (DB(B)) 1 by control of themicroprocessor units (MPU) 1-20 and 1-01 along a path passing the bus1-36, the ISA bus 1-18, the interface (PCI/F) 1-16 with the ISA bus, thedual port RAM (DPRAM) 1-15, the bus 1-17, the serial communicationreceiver/transmitter (USART0) 1-05, the communication rate adoption LSI(RA-LSI) 1-07, the rate converter 1-08, the data transfer LSI (P-PLSI)1-09, the digital talking terminal line circuit (DBDLIN) 5, thetime-division switch (TSW) 11, and the digital talking terminal linecircuit (DBDLIN) 5 of the talking terminal (DB(B)) 1.

In the talking terminal (DB(B)) 1, said message and control informationare sent as electronic mail information to the microprocessor unit (MPU)1-20 through a path inverse to the transmission path in the talkingterminal (DB(A)) 1 (S1-5 and S1-6). When the transmission has ended,connection between the calling side talking terminal (DB(A)) 1 and thecalled side talking terminal (DB(B)) 1 is released.

The microprocessor unit (MPU) 1-20 of the talking terminal (DB(B)) 1pops up the window W-2 of FIG. 5 on the display 1-26, and displays thereceived message (S1-7).

When the dealer of the talking terminal (DB(B)) 1 clicks a reply key,for example, “AWAY” by means of the mouse 1-30 (S1-8), the clicked keyis converted into a message corresponding to the key by control of themicroprocessor unit (MPU) 1-20, and the message is connected to thetalking terminal (DB(A)) 1 through a path reverse to said path ofconnection from the talking terminal (DB(A)) 1 to the talking terminal(DB(B)) 1 on the basis of the information of the calling party. It isassumed that various definite-form reply messages are in this talkingterminal (DB) 1 and a desired definite-form message is selected byclicking a reply key by means of the mouse 1-30.

The converted message is returned together with the key information aselectronic mail information to the microprocessor unit (MPU) 1-20 of thetalking terminal (DB(A)) 1 through a path reverse to said path (S1-9 andS1-10).

The microprocessor unit (CP) 1-20 of the talking terminal (DB(A)) 1 popsup the window W-3 shown in FIG. 6 on the display 1-26, and displays themessage and turns on the key “AWAY” (S1-11).

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a processing operation of the MPU 1-20,particularly in a key analyzing process following transmission andreception of an electronic mail, of the information processing unit(PCCPU) 1-2 of the talking terminal (DB(A)) 1.

When one of keys on the display 1-26 is clicked by the mouse 1-30 whichis a pointing device, the microprocessor unit (MPU) 1-20 performs a keyanalysis.

First, the MPU 1-20 determines whether or not the message key “MSG” hasbeen clicked (S2-1). If the MSG key has been clicked, the MPU 120 popsup and displays the electronic mail transmission screen (see FIG. 4) onthe display (S2-2).

A sender of an electronic mail inputs a message from the keyboard 1-28(S2-3), and the MPU 1-20 displays this message on the electronic mailtransmission screen.

The electronic mail sender clicks the “SELECT NAME” key (S2-4) andthereby notifies the microprocessor unit MPU) 1-20 that a destination isabout to be indicated, and then clicks with the mouse 1-30 a line key onwhich the name of a called party which is the destination is displayed(S2-5).

The microprocessor unit (MPU) 1-20 converts the clicked line key into acalled party's number and sends it to the line control unit (LCU) 2. Theline control unit (LCU) 2 connects through the time-division switch(TSW) 11 the calling talking terminal, for example, a talking terminal(DB(A)) 1 and the called side talking terminal, for example, a talkingterminal (DB(13)) 1 to each other.

When the connection has been completed, the microprocessor unit (MPU)1-20 transmits electronic mail information composed of a message andcontrol information to the talking terminal (DB(B)) 1 which is thedestination (S2-6).

And when the called side talking terminal (DB(B)) 1 which has receivedthis electronic mail information performs a reply, a reply key isclicked. In this case, in the same way as the processing operation ofthe MPU 1-20 of the calling side talking terminal (DB(A)) 1 shown inFIG. 8, the MPU 1-20 of the called side talking terminal (D)B(B)) 1determines whether or not the MSG key has been clicked in S2-1, and ifthe MSG key has not been clicked, this MPU 1-20 determines whether ornot a reply key has been clicked (S2-7).

If a reply key has been clicked, the microprocessor unit (MPU) 1-20converts the clicked reply key to a reply message corresponding to itand displays the reply message on a display area of the window (S2-8).

Furthermore, the MPU 1-20 generates reply-electronic-mail information onthe basis of this reply message and transmits this reply-electronic-mailinformation to the calling side talking terminal (DB(A)) 1 (S2-9).

And FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a processing operation of the MPU1-20, particularly in a received information analyzing process followingpop-up-displaying of electronic mail information, of the informationprocessing unit (PCCPU) 1-2 of a talking terminal (DB) 1.

For example, when the MPU 1-20 of the talking terminal (DB) 1 receiveselectronic mail information, it performs a reception analysis of theelectronic mail information (S3-1), and determines whether or not thiselectronic mail information is for reception (S3-2). If this electronicmail information is for reception, the MPU 1-20 pops up and displays theelectronic mail reception screen (see FIG. 5) (S3-3).

If this electronic mail information is not for reception, it furtherdetermines whether or not this electronic mail information is for reply(S3-4). If this electronic mail information is for reply, it pops up anddisplays the reply-electronic-mail reception screen (see FIG. 6) (S3-5).

By doing in such a way, the MPU 1-20 can determine whether electronicmail information is for reception or for reply, and can automaticallydisplay it on the respective reception screens.

According to this embodiment, therefore, in an electronic mail forconnection between talking terminals (DB) 1, when an electronic mail hascome into the called side talking terminal (DB) 1 from the calling sidetalking terminal (DB) 1, even without performing any operation thecalled side talking terminal (D)B) 1 pops up and displays the electronicmail reception window W-2 on the display 1-26 and displays a message asthe electronic mail from the calling side talking terminal (DB) 1, andtherefore it is possible to completely prevent that a called partysuffers loss of an opportunity due to a fact that the called party hasoverlooked blinking of a message lamp or has performed a message keyoperation too late, and it is possible to remarkably reduce a burden ona dealer who is a called party performing a transaction fighting theclock.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, since each of talkingterminals store several kinds of definite-form reply messages in it, adealer who is a user of the called side talking terminal (DB) 1 can savea trouble of inputting massages as various reply electronic mails byclick-selecting a reply key, and thanks to this it is possible toremarkably reduce a burden on a dealer who is a called party.

Still further, according to this embodiment, when the calling sidetalking terminal (DB) 1 receives a message as a reply electronic mailfrom the called side talking terminal (DB) 1, without performing anyoperation the calling side talking terminal (DB) 1 pops up and displaysthe electronic mail reply window W-3 on the display 1-26 and displays amessage as the reply electronic mail in this electronic mail replywindow W-3, and therefore, the caller who is a user of the calling sidetalking terminal can also read the reply electronic mail withoutperforming a key operation, and it is possible to reduce a burden on adealer (caller) who has originated an electronic mail.

UTILIZABILITY IN INDUSTRY

When an electronic mail has come in from a calling side talking terminalin an electronic mail system for connection between talking terminals,an electronic mail pop-up control system according to the presentinvention pops up and displays an electronic mail reception window onthe display and displays a message as an electronic mail in this windoweven if the called side talking terminal does not perform any operation,and therefore said control system is suitable for a talking terminal ina dealing system used when a bank or a securities company performs afinancial transaction of exchange, securities and the like, said dealingsystem being required to quickly and securely transfer an importantelectronic mail to a dealer of a taking terminal.

What is claimed is:
 1. An electronic mail pop-up control systemcomprising a plurality of talking terminals and a line control unit forcommunication-connecting with said plurality of talking terminals,wherein each of said plurality of talking terminals comprises: messageinput means for inputting a message; and display means for displayingvarious messages including a line display screen to display acommunication-connection operation key and a message input request key,wherein a first talking terminal of said plurality of talking terminalscomprises: message input request key recognition means for recognizing akey operation of said message input request key in said line displayscreen; electronic mail input means for, when said message input requestkey recognition means recognizes a key operation of said message inputrequest key, displaying an electronic mail input request key, displayingan electronic mail input display window on said line display screen andinputting a message inputted by said message input means in saidelectronic mail input display window; and transfer means fortransferring the message inputted by said electronic mail input means toa second talking terminal of said plurality of talking terminals;wherein said second talking terminal comprises: reception means forreceiving the message transferred from said first talking terminal;electronic mail display means for, when said reception means receivessaid message while said display means displays said line display screen,automatically pop-up displaying an electronic mail display window onsaid line display screen and displaying the message received by saidreception means in the electronic mail display window; storage means forstoring a plurality of previously-set reply messages; reply messageselection display means for displaying a plurality of select keyscorresponding to each of said plurality of reply messages in saidelectronic mail display window; selection means for selecting a desiredselect key out of said plurality of select keys displayed in saidelectronic mail display window by said reply message selection displaymeans; and reply means for, when said selection means selects a desiredselect key, automatically transferring to said first talking terminalthe reply message corresponding to the select key selected by theselection means.
 2. An electronic mail-pop-up control system accordingto claim 1, wherein said first talking terminal comprises: receptionmeans for receiving the reply message transferred from said secondtalking terminal; and reply mail display means for, when said receptionmeans receives said reply message while said display means displays saidline display screen, automatically pop-up displaying the electronic maildisplay window at the forefront of said line display screen, anddisplaying the reply message received by said reception means in theelectronic mail display window.
 3. A method for sending electronicmessages between a first talking terminal and a second talking terminal,comprising: operating a first key of the first talking terminal toobtain an electronic message transmission screen on a display of thefirst talking terminal; typing in data onto the electronic messagetransmission screen, by way of a keyboard of the first talking terminal;operating a second key of the first talking terminal to select thesecond talking terminal as a called terminal; operating a third key ofthe first talking terminal to send a first electronic messagecorresponding to data entered onto the electronic message transmissionscreen to the second talking terminal; receiving the first electronicmessage at the second talking terminal; automatically displaying thefirst electronic message on a display screen of the second talkingterminal without any prior key operation being entered at the secondtalking terminal to display the first electronic message; operating afirst key of the second talking terminal to reply to the firstelectronic message; outputting a predefined electronic message, as asecond electronic message, as well as information as to the first key ofthe second talking terminal being operated, to the first talkingterminal; and popping up a display screen at the first talking terminalto display the second electronic message without any prior key operationbeing entered at the first talking terminal to display the secondelectronic message, and notifying a user at the first talking terminalof the operating of the first key of the second talking terminal byilluminating a corresponding key at the first talking terminal while thesecond electronic message is displayed on the display screen at thefirst talking terminal.